Check out the cell phone tower example that references cognitive load and provides examples of how slides affect cognitive load. http://www.articulate.com/community/blogdemo/celltower03/player.html
When we move portions of our course online, we have to ensure that course content is delivered in a concise and appealing way. Lectures need to be engaging and informative. When thinking about technology-enhanced course lectures and course content that is available online, we need to make sure that everything is as self-explanatory as possible.
Clear outlines
Clear goals, objectives, and purposes
Clear directions
Useful Tool/Idea #1 - Screencasting
Screencasting is an excellent way to create videos of what's on your computer screen in order to share it with students. You can record anything that is happening on your screen, from a PowerPoint lecture, to using your course management system or other websites, to using software specific to your field. You can even use a screencast to capture portions of a video on the screen!
The first tool we'll look at with regard to screencasting is Jing. Jing is a product made by Techsmith that allows you to make shorter screencasts (5 mins or less) and to take still screen captures of what's happening on your computer screen, then annotate those captures. The best thing about Jing is that it's FREE! You can find out a little more about Jing at the two links below:
Other tools for doing screencasts are listed below. We've indicated whether they are free or not and whether they are Mac or PC software. If you are very interested in screencasting, you may wish to use one of these other tools as many of them offer much more functionality and options than Jing. There may be other options out there that will work as well, these are just the major ones that people use mostly.
There are many programs available that allow you to share your PowerPoint presentations online and enhance them, for example, through added audio. Below are some popular programs, all available free of charge!
Create, show, and share presentations live and on the web
Download presentations to present offline
Useful Tool/Idea #3 - Course Management Systems
Course management systems allow you to compile all information in relation to your course in one spot. Common features include course calendars, class rosters, grade books, lesson folders, announcements, email functions, dropboxes, discussion forums, online tests and assessments, etc.
Most institutions have commercially available course management systems such as WebCT, Blackboard, Angel, or Moodle. If you do not have access to a course management system, you can use other online systems that have similar functionality.
Free, web-based learning environment for classrooms, distance learning programs, and collaborative academic projects
Features include conferencing, scheduling, document sharing, personal messaging, and link sharing
Nicenet offers password-protected classrooms
Instructions on how to set up and use Nicenet can be found here: Nicenet.pdf
Useful Tool/Idea #4 - Creating Communities
Since portions of the course take place online, it is important to create a personal community between and among you and your students. Here are some tools that can help bring together your students.
Google Apps
Google Apps includes Google Documents (Word), Google Spreadsheets (Excel), Google Presentation (PowerPoint), Google Drawings, and Google Forms (surveys). Additionally you can upload Adobe Acrobat files (.pdf) and share your creations. The true power of Google Apps is in the ability to collaboratively create your documents. You can access Google Apps at http://googleapps.msu.edu/. You need a gmail account to access the applications.
Revisions
This is one of CLEAR's RIAs. Revisions is a process-writing tool specifically designed for language teacher. Revisions makes it easy for students' assignments to be teacher or peer reviewed, and allows students to collaboratively work on assignments. The program allows you to
Compose, submit, mark up, and return documents all from inside a web browser
Annotate your text (and your students') with written or audio comments
Enhance the collaborative nature of the writing process by maintaining revisions of assignments for peer and teacher feedback
Program features include bidirectional text and over 30 writing systems (e.g., Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, and others) and feature-rich document editing capabilities.
Dropbox
If you are looking for ways to access your own files from different computers, this is your solution. Dropbox allows you to sync your files online and across your computers automatically. Sharing files is simple and can be done with only a few clicks. Shared folders allow several people to collaborate on a set of files and you can see other people's changes instantly. Dropbox backs up your files online without you having to think about it. A copy of your files are stored on Dropbox's secure servers. This lets you access them from any computer or mobile device. You can also access your files on the go from your iPhone, iPad, and Android phone.
Wikis
We've talked about wikis before as possible course management systems. Since wikis are generally public (unless you pay for an account in order to make it private), your students are writing for a larger audience (because it's public) and it is much easier to implement rich media. You can access wikispaces at http://www.wikispaces.com/.
Presenting Content Online
Check out the cell phone tower example that references cognitive load and provides examples of how slides affect cognitive load.
http://www.articulate.com/community/blogdemo/celltower03/player.html
When we move portions of our course online, we have to ensure that course content is delivered in a concise and appealing way. Lectures need to be engaging and informative. When thinking about technology-enhanced course lectures and course content that is available online, we need to make sure that everything is as self-explanatory as possible.
Useful Tool/Idea #1 - Screencasting
Screencasting is an excellent way to create videos of what's on your computer screen in order to share it with students. You can record anything that is happening on your screen, from a PowerPoint lecture, to using your course management system or other websites, to using software specific to your field. You can even use a screencast to capture portions of a video on the screen!The first tool we'll look at with regard to screencasting is Jing. Jing is a product made by Techsmith that allows you to make shorter screencasts (5 mins or less) and to take still screen captures of what's happening on your computer screen, then annotate those captures. The best thing about Jing is that it's FREE! You can find out a little more about Jing at the two links below:
TASK:
Once you know more about what Jing is, please download it from the Jing website (linked above) and complete the Jing tutorial located at http://camtasiaworkshop.wikispaces.com/Jing+Lab+Activity
Other tools for doing screencasts are listed below. We've indicated whether they are free or not and whether they are Mac or PC software. If you are very interested in screencasting, you may wish to use one of these other tools as many of them offer much more functionality and options than Jing. There may be other options out there that will work as well, these are just the major ones that people use mostly.
Useful Tool/Idea #2 - Converting PPTs to Videos
There are many programs available that allow you to share your PowerPoint presentations online and enhance them, for example, through added audio. Below are some popular programs, all available free of charge!Slideshare (Free, Mac/PC) allows you to
authorSTREAM (Free, Mac/PC) allows you to
Prezi (Free, Mac/PC) allows you to
Useful Tool/Idea #3 - Course Management Systems
Course management systems allow you to compile all information in relation to your course in one spot. Common features include course calendars, class rosters, grade books, lesson folders, announcements, email functions, dropboxes, discussion forums, online tests and assessments, etc.Most institutions have commercially available course management systems such as WebCT, Blackboard, Angel, or Moodle. If you do not have access to a course management system, you can use other online systems that have similar functionality.
Wikispaces (Free, Mac/PC)
Nicenet (Free, Mac/PC)
- Free, web-based learning environment for classrooms, distance learning programs, and collaborative academic projects
- Features include conferencing, scheduling, document sharing, personal messaging, and link sharing
- Nicenet offers password-protected classrooms
Instructions on how to set up and use Nicenet can be found here:Useful Tool/Idea #4 - Creating Communities
Since portions of the course take place online, it is important to create a personal community between and among you and your students. Here are some tools that can help bring together your students.PollEverywhere (Free, Mac/PC)
- Ask your students a question
- They answer using SMS, text messages, Twitter, or the web
- Responses are displayed live in PowerPoint, Keynote, or the web
Fun way for your students to interact with each other and learn more about each other.Skype (Free, Mac/PC)
- Voice and video calls to anyone else on Skype
- Conference calls with three or more people
- Instant messaging, file transfer, and screen sharing
Great way to hold virtual office hours, for videoconferencing, and to share files.Wallwisher (Free, Mac/PC)
Walls are online notice boards where you and your students can post sticky notes.
Useful Tool/Idea #5 - Collaborative Document Creation
Google AppsGoogle Apps includes Google Documents (Word), Google Spreadsheets (Excel), Google Presentation (PowerPoint), Google Drawings, and Google Forms (surveys). Additionally you can upload Adobe Acrobat files (.pdf) and share your creations. The true power of Google Apps is in the ability to collaboratively create your documents. You can access Google Apps at http://googleapps.msu.edu/. You need a gmail account to access the applications.
Information on the MSU Google Apps Showcase - http://tech-showcase.wiki.educ.msu.edu/2010+Showcase
Revisions
This is one of CLEAR's RIAs. Revisions is a process-writing tool specifically designed for language teacher. Revisions makes it easy for students' assignments to be teacher or peer reviewed, and allows students to collaboratively work on assignments. The program allows you to
- Compose, submit, mark up, and return documents all from inside a web browser
- Annotate your text (and your students') with written or audio comments
- Enhance the collaborative nature of the writing process by maintaining revisions of assignments for peer and teacher feedback
Program features include bidirectional text and over 30 writing systems (e.g., Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, and others) and feature-rich document editing capabilities.Video tutorials on how to use Revisions.
Dropbox
If you are looking for ways to access your own files from different computers, this is your solution. Dropbox allows you to sync your files online and across your computers automatically. Sharing files is simple and can be done with only a few clicks. Shared folders allow several people to collaborate on a set of files and you can see other people's changes instantly. Dropbox backs up your files online without you having to think about it. A copy of your files are stored on Dropbox's secure servers. This lets you access them from any computer or mobile device. You can also access your files on the go from your iPhone, iPad, and Android phone.
Wikis
We've talked about wikis before as possible course management systems. Since wikis are generally public (unless you pay for an account in order to make it private), your students are writing for a larger audience (because it's public) and it is much easier to implement rich media. You can access wikispaces at http://www.wikispaces.com/.